Love is a Battlefield
by millcityshaman
Summary: Death Eaters vs. Aurors and original Order of the Phoenix. Severus and Lily are on opposite sides. Death Eater era. One Shot.


Love is a Battlefield

Flashes of green light flew in every direction. One had just missed him as Snape ducked behind a column that had a chunk blasted away a little bit above his head. 'Always did have bad aim Bailey.' Picturing where the Auror would be standing now Severus rolled out from behind the column and down a few steps before up righting and aiming his wand while shouting "Avada - - " He didn't have a chance to finish the curse as from behind he heard someone else shouting, "Stupefy!" Snape turned and blocked the stunning spell with a "Pretego!" The Death Eater then apparated to the other side of the battlefield out of the cross fire.

At first Severus felt like luck was on his side this day. In front of him was the target they had come to collect for Lord Voldemort; An old wizard who worked for the ministry and had information that the Dark Lord wanted, badly. "You're mine," Snape thought out loud. Seeing the masked robed Death Eater who had just appeared in front of him, the old wizard turned to run. "Going somewhere Sanett?" Then there was the shouting of, "Locomotor Mortis!" The old man's legs stopped working. The momentum made him fall. "Guess not." Snape approached the man ready to snatch up the prize of the day. Before he could reach Sanett to apparate both of them back to where the Dark Lord was hiding out, another curse flew his way.

"Crucio!"

'Damn,' Snape thought at his laps in caution. He recognized the voice that had sent the curse that had him writhing in pain on the ground. It had been Potter. The only bight spot was that he had not been hit with the killing curse. If he hadn't been masked he wondered if James would have used that one instead. Severus certainly would have used it on him. Almost simultaneously Potter reached Sanett and another Death Eater reached Snape. The split second that Lucius took to think about if getting the old wizard were more important than getting his friend out of harms way, Potter apparated himself and Sanett away. Malfoy apparated he and his fellow Death Eater to a safe place on the battlefield and countered the torture curse.

"Target number one has been taken by the enemy," Lucius informed the group that stood there. "Move on to the second target."

The signal to pull back was given on both sides almost at the same time, so that the place that had been full of flying curses was suddenly silent. "Go back to head quarters," Malfoy ordered Snape.

"No," Snape refused. "I'm fine. I'll get this one."

Lucius smiled at his friend's enthusiasm. "That's the spirit."

Both men apparated to where the second target was to be found. This time it was a witch that was to be captured. There were no curses flying about here. Here a line of Death Eaters was walking through a wooded area as if flushing out a bird. Footsteps crunched in the inch of icy snow that carpeted the ground so it would not be a surprise.

"There!" Severus shouted as he ran forth seeing a shadowy figure scurrying down a hill. Lord Vodemort's other servants saw the same thing, but in different directions. The result being that they all went separate ways. Chasing the figure he had seen it did not take Severus long to catch up to what he thought must be the witch they were hunting. "Stupefy!" The curse hit her in the back and she fell face first into the snow. A few crunchy strides later Snape was checking to see if it was the right witch; wouldn't do to bring the wrong one to the Dark Lord. Turning the witch over by her cloaked shoulder the face reviled in the hood was not that of Brenda Willow. "Decoy," Snape hissed. He ran back in the direction of the others.

One by one the Death Eaters were finding that they had followed a decoy. Most left the cursed witches where they lay, a few others did not. Severus' ears caught the sound of "Avada Kadavra!" A handful of the curse rang out across the woods. Snape cringed, the idea of using the killing curse on unconscious witches, even if they were the enemy, disturbed him. If on the other hand they were about to curse one of them, he wouldn't have hesitated in using it himself. He took a deep breath and rejoined the chase. The first person he caught up to was Dolohov. He had just stupefied another witch who he had just discovered was a decoy.

The witch was barely conscious. She looked up to see a menacing Death Eater looming over her and a second Death Eater behind him. "Another decoy." If the witch could have seen past the mask of the second Death Eater she would have seen a look of complete shock on the face. Snape had recognized the witch as the one person in the world he would have died for about to be killed by a fellow Death Eater. "Watch this," Dolohov raised his wand. Snape knew which curse would come out of the man's mouth. Before it could, Snape's wand was pointed at Dolohov's back. In a low voice he cursed, "Supefy," followed by, "Obliviate."

Dolohov lay next to Lily Potter. Snape wanted to go to her and drag her off to safety, but knew she was safer laying right where she was. The line of Death Eaters would not be back this way. Lily saw the slender figure of a masked and hooded second Death Eater taking a step towards her and back away several times before it ran off. Pulling her arm that had been trapped under the first Death Eater out Lily had enough awareness to apparate herself to the Order's safe spot.

The sound Lily was greeted with was the wailing of one of the other witches who had just apparated back from the woods. "They," she heaved. "They're killing the decoys." The witch burst into tears that seemed wrenched from her core. One of the Avada Kadavraed witches had been her sister.

Shortly after Lily's arrival about ten other witches appeared within seconds of each other. "They got her," one of them told everyone. Only one more witch apparated into the safe spot after that. This meant that five of them were either killed or unable to apparate back. After a few minutes of silence when the witches family members and friends went to their sides, that last witch asked, "Were they supposed to be going for anyone else today?"

"Those two were the only ones we knew of," one of the older member informed. "That information came at a cost, and we could only save one of them."

"How many did we loose in rescuing Sanett?" It was Lily who had asked. She was worried for her husband who was not present.

It was James who told her, "None." He had walked into the room just as his wife asked the question. They rushed to each other and embraced. "If they got Brenda, they'll of left. We should go back for - - " Potter couldn't say 'the dead.' He felt both relief and guilt that his wife was not among them. The looks on the faces of those whose had not returned were horrible to see.

Two of the decoy witches immediately apparated back to the woods. "I'll go," Remus volunteered before he disappeared.

"I want to go back," Lily said.

James insisted, "Not without me."

She nodded and they both apparated together. Though they did not need any more, a few others joined the retrievers. These now combed the woods that the Death Eaters had earlier, with quite a different intent. As they came upon someone, one of them would apparate off with the deceased. There were, as feared, five dead witches. Before long the woods were empty again except for Lily and James Potter. Just before she felt that James wanted to go back to the safe spot, Lily said to him, "Wait a minute, I want to tell you something. Something I don't want anyone else to hear."

James looked at his wife quizzically. "What could you not want anyone else to hear?"

"I want you to promise me, that you won't tell anyone, not even Sirius. Especially Sirius."

"Is it that bad?"

"I'm not sure if it's bad or not."

"What?"

"Promise."

"All right, I promise. Not a word to anyone."

It took her a while to compose herself. Eventually she told him, "I saw someone today. Someone I didn't want to believe - - "

"Lil-ly?" James said her name slowly and questioningly. "Who did you see? You mean one of the Death Eaters? Did you see beneath one of their masks?"

"I didn't see behind their mask, but I know who it was. It was, Severus."

"Snape? Why wouldn't you want Sirius to know Snape is a Death Eater? We know that already."

"That's not what I don't want anyone to know. What I don't want anyone to know is something that if it got back to the other Death Eaters would put a death mark on Severus."

"So what," James snorted. "One less Death Eater."

"James don't." Lily looked at her husband making sure he was paying attention. "James listen, Severus - - " James looked away in anger but Lily pulled his face back to hers. "He saved me."

"Saved you?" James' eyes darted around as if this were perplexing.

"Saved me." Lily nodded as if to make James believe it was true. "Stunned and obliviated another Death Eater as he was about to - - " She paused. " - - Cast the killing curse."

James hugged Lily realizing how close she had been to becoming one of those who had just been sent to their final rest. It disturbed him to think he had Snape to thank for that.

"I can't stop worrying," Lily said.

"I don't understand how you can worry about someone who is one of them. He was here hunting Brenda, wasn't he?"

Lily ignored what James had just said. "What would happen if one of them found out?"

"We're the only ones who know." James looked into Lily's worried eyes. "Or will ever know." James kissed Lily with every intention of getting her to forget about Snape. "Let's go home." She nodded and they left the dreadful woods.

x

Back at the Death Eater's hiding place Snape was anything but about to be found out or killed. He was being praised for his capture of Brenda Willow and the 'rescue' of Dolohov. If he did not know how to blank his mind Severus would have surly shown some sign that all was not as it seemed as the other Death Eaters gave him congratulatory slaps on the back. The room was quite raucous until a high voice called out, "Severus." The Death Eaters fell silent at the sound of the Dark Lord.

"Yes, my Lord," Snape answered that call.

"It seems that your catch, doesn't want to tell me what I want to know." Voldemort beaconed with his hand. "Go get me some veritaserum."

"Yes - - " As Severus answered, Voldemort shut the door to the interrogation room. " - - my lord." Snape went to a corner of the hide out where a rucksack of potion vials was waiting. He sorted out the one the Dark Lord requested and approached the closed door. He knocked. "Bring it in," Voldemort said from within. This was something Snape did not want. He wanted the Dark Lord to retrieve it and close the door again. He did not want to see the result of his day's work, but he was going to have to. He let his mind empty even more than he already had as he turned the knob.

Magically tied to a chair was the captured witch struggling against her bonds. "I love it when the struggle," Voldemort admitted. "Don't you?"

"Yes," Severus lied. He held out the truth potion.

"No Severus. I will allow you the pleasure."

"Thank – you – my – Lord." He had to keep his feelings hid. The young wizard stood over the witch with the vial of potion at the ready. "Open," he commanded. The witch did not comply.

"My young friend," Voldemort hissed. "Said - - " He pulled her head back by her hair. "Open up." The witch's mouth was forced open with a wave of the Dark Lord's wand. Snape stood a little stunned. "The potion Severus." Snape's hand let a few drops fall onto Brenda's tongue. "Is that enough?" Snape nodded. "Then you can go."

Severus was relived that Voldemort didn't want a witness to his interrogation. With the truth potion, there would be little need for physical persuasion. That didn't mean that the dark lord wouldn't enjoy a bit of that. Indeed while waiting for their next instructions the Death Eaters heard an ear-piercing scream come from the interrogation room. A minute later the Dark Lord was at the door calling for, "Severus" again.

Not letting Voldemort see that he really didn't want to, Snape entered the room. Voldemort did not close the door. Apparently he wanted the other Death Eaters to hear what transpired. The witch prisoner looked considerably more distressed than she had been the last time he had seen her. A patch of blood was on Brenda's face, her hair now looked like a bird's nest, but it was the look in her eyes that was most disturbing. "I am finished with her," the Dark Lord informed. "I have the information I need." Severus wondered if he was going to be asked to dispose of a body in a few seconds. Was Voldemort going to kill her? "Since you were the one who brought her to me, I give her to you as a gift for your good work Severus."

Sounding sincere Snape said, "Thank you my Lord."

Before Snape could do anything, Voldemort was belting him across the face with his backhand. "That," the Dark Lord hissed as Snape bent over feeling the gash on his cheek. "Is for letting Sanett get away."

"Forgive me my Lord." Snape didn't dare move. He waited for another blow. It did not come.

"Just make sure what ever you do to her, she can't tell anyone where she's been or who she's seen."

"Yes my Lord," Snape answered as he straitened up.

"I needn't tell you what will happen if I find out she remembers."

"No my Lord."

After the Dark Lord had left the room joining his followers in the other room all of the Death Eaters present looked into the room where Snape was now unbinding the prisoner. Some of them looked on with mere curiosity, others looked on hungrily expectant. They grinned when Severus grabbed the witch by her wrist and wrenched her up from the chair. They groaned in disappointment, as he disapparated to parts unknown.

Voldemort laughed before bellowing out, "I see Severus is still bashful."

The rest of the Death Eaters laughed at the Dark Lords assumption.

x

Miles away, Severus and Brenda reapparated in the woods where the witch had been taken from only a few hours before. It was Dusk now and much darker than it had been during the 'hunt.' Miss. Willow looked around seeing they were quite alone. The wizard asked, "You live near here?"

The veritaserum was wearing off, but she could not lie yet. "I don't want to tell you." That was the truth.

Annoyed Snape asked again, "Where do you live?"

"I'm afraid to tell you." Again the truth.

"Don't you want to go home?"

"Go home?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Don't you want to go home, or do you want to be wondering about out here when I obliviate you memory?"

Brenda looked confused. "I'm not stupid, I know what you Death Eaters do with your prisoners."

"Oh do you?" Severus said in a smarmy tone. "We're all exactly the same are we?"

"Aren't you?"

Snape snorted before responding, "No." He raised his wand to her face. "So one more time, do you want to go home, or be wondering around out here when you are obliviated?"

"Why would you do that? Thought you Death Eaters didn't show mercy."

"Thought I just told you we're not all the same."

"Why can't you answer my question?"

"What's the point, you won't remember in a minute." Snape raised his wand again. "OBLIVIATE!" Before Miss. Willow could recover and ask 'who are you?' Snape had apparated away. He wouldn't go right back to the Death Eater's hideout, he had to make it look good. As he sat on a swing in a quiet playground near Sinners End, Severus wondered about Brenda's question, 'Why would you do that - - show mercy?'

'Because I wouldn't want that to happen to - - Lily.'

The rest of the hour he spent digging his feet into the dirt under the swing wondering how he had gotten himself in so deep. Being a Death Eater was not all it had been cracked up to be. He wondered how long he was going to be able to keep avoiding doing certain things. One day he might have to kill someone who wasn't trying to kill him. One day he may have to prove his loyalty in front of others. 'Well that's one day, not today.'

Knowing this was the only place he could safely think about her, his thoughts turned to where Lily might be now. This did not ease his mind. He knew she was safe, but he also knew she was with 'him,' Potter. The one she had chosen. The one he had lost her to. The one he still had hopes of winning back. After all, love is a battlefield, and on a battlefield fortunes could turn.

The End.


End file.
